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About the author

Richard Carleton Hacker

Contributing Wine, Spirits, and Cigars Editor

Richard Carleton Hacker is an international writer and photographer specializing in spirits, wines, cigars, and related luxury lifestyles. In addition to having authored 11 books published in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and Russia, he is a long-time contributing editor for numerous national magazines, including Robb Report, for which he has written since 1995. He is also a popular keynote speaker on whiskies and cigars for corporations such as Ritz-Carlton, Alfred Dunhill, and Blancpain, and is a judge for the prestigious annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

A lifetime member of the Scotch whisky industry’s exclusive Keeper of the Quaich honorary society (he is one of fewer than 200 people worldwide to hold the coveted title of Master of the Quaich), he has also been inducted into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, and was knighted in Germany. More of his writings and adventures can be found at www.richardcarletonhacker.com.

The mere mention of mezcal—a distillate made from agaves roasted in rock-lined earthen pits—often conjures up images of smoky cantinas and even smokier liquids being poured into dusty glasses. Not so...

One of the greatest challenges for connoisseurs of limited-edition, super-premium, single-malt whiskies is being able to locate and taste them. And by their very nature, these rarities are difficult...

First came the original Redbreast 12 Year Old—mellow, floral, chill filtered, and bottled at 80 proof. Then we saw the reintroduction of the once-elusive non-chill filtered 92-proof Redbreast 15 Year...